MASSAGE THERAPY

The benefits of Holistic Therapeutic Massage consist of muscle pain relief, better flexibility, finer nervous control of muscles and proprioceptive feedback, improved circulation of blood and lymphatics, stimulation of the digestive tract, the liver and the kidneys for better waste product elimination and more.

We use only the best, most proven techniques to speed you on to recovery without drugs or surgery. Remember that fully active health and complete recovery is out ultimate goal for our patients. We're here to have you find relief and get back to a fully active life as quickly as possible. We are committed to helping you find and maintain a permanent solution to your spinal health problem.

Massage therapists work to alleviate pain, relieve stress, and improve the health and well being of our patients by the mobilization of the soft tissue including skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue.  Massage therapy is defined as the manual manipulation or mobilization to affect normalization of the soft tissue of the human body.  Massage therapists may include adjunctive therapies such as hydrotherapy, mild abrasives, heliotherapy, or topical preparations not classified as prescription drugs, mechanical devices and tools that mimic or enhance manual actions, and instructed self care.  Massage therapy may be provided in response to a physicians prescription or in conjunction with other therapeutic modalities.

The types of massage we offer are: Swedish Massage, Neuromuscular, Prenatal Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Sports Massage.

Swedish massage is the most popular type of massage in the Unites States. It involves the use of hands, forearms or elbows to manipulate the superficial layers of the muscles to improve mental and physical health. Active or passive movement of the joints may also be part of the massage. The benefits of Swedish massage include increased blood circulation, mental and physical relaxation, decreasesed stress and muscle tension, and improve range of motion.

The specific techniques used in Swedish massage involved the application of long gliding strokes, friction, and kneading and tapping movements on the soft tissues of the body. Sometimes passive or active joint movements are also used.

Unlike drug therapy, which is often associated with many systemic and long-term side effects, massage therapy is relatively safe and has few contraindications. It also provides many benefits such as physical, mental and emotional..

There are numerous benefits associated with the use of Swedish massage:

Physical Benefits

• loosening tight muscles and stretching connective tissues
• relieving cramps and muscle spasms and decreasing muscle fatigue
• loosening joints and improving range of motion
• increasing muscle strength
• calming the nervous system
• stimulating blood circulation
• firming up muscle and skin tone
• relieving symptoms of such disorders as asthma, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndromes, chronic and acute pain syndroms, myofacial pain, headache, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, and athletic injuries
• speeding up healing from injury and illness
• improving lymphatic drainage of metabolic wastes

Mental and Emotional Benefits

• mental relaxation
• improvement in length and quality of sleep
• relief of stress, depression, anxiety and irritation
• increased ability to concentrate
• improve sense of well-being

Description

In Swedish massage, the person to be massage lies on a massage table and is draped with a towel or sheet. It is a full-body massage treatment, except in areas that are contraindicated or where the client request no to be touched. Unscented lotion is used to facilitate the massage movements. Each session usually lasts 30-60 minutes. Depending on the patient's preferences, a massage session may involve the use of several or all of the following basic techniques: effleurage, petrissage, friction, vibration, and tapotement.

Precautions/Side Effects

There have been few reported side effects associated with massage of low or moderate intensity. Intense massage, however, may increase the risk of injury to the body.

Some patients with histories of physical violence or abuse may feel uncomfortable about removing their clothing. A brief explanation is done by our qualified therapist of what happens in a massage session and how beneficial massage is for their health.

Neuromuscular Therapy also known as NMT is a very specialized form of manual therapy. NMT will be used to address five elements that cause pain:

• Ischemia: Lack of blood supply to soft tissues which causes hypersensitivity to touch
• Trigger Points: highly irritated points in muscles which refer pain to other parts of the body
• Nerve Compression or Entrapment: Pressure on a nerve by soft tissue, cartilage or bone
• Postural Distortion: Imbalance of the muscular system resulting from the movement of the body of the longitudinal and horizontal planes
• Biomechanical Dysfunction: Imbalance of the musculoskeletal system resulting in faulty movement patterns (i.e., poor lifting habits, bad mechanics in a golf swing or tennis stroke, computer keyboarding)

Our therapist are trained in NMT and are educated in the physiology of the nervous system and its effect on the muscular and skeletal systems. Our therapist are also educated in kinesiology and biomechanics.

NMT is the utilization of static pressure on specific myoficial points to relieve pain. This technique manipulates the soft tissue of the body (muscles, tendons and connective tissue) to balance the central nervous system. In a healthy individual, nerves transmit impulses (which are responsible for every movement, function and thought) to the body very slowly. Injury, trauma, postural distortion or stress cause nerves to speed up their transmission, inhibiting equilibrium and making the body vulnerable to pain and dysfunction. It is therefore necessary to stabilize low levels of neurological activity to maintain normal function and overall health.

Prenatal Massage is a form of therapeutic bodywork that is geared to meet the unique needs of the pregnant woman. Promoting better function of muscles and joints, prenatal massage also improves circulation and overall body tone. Additionally, prenatal massage decreases mental and physical fatigue as well.

Mutually beneficial, by having regular prenatal massage therapy, mothers are more relaxed; thus allowing the new life inside to be nourished. Prenatal massage is usually begun during the second and or third trimesters of pregnancy. While lying on one side the mother can be massaged on her side, in a semi-reclining position, and even on her belly, with the use of a specially-designed pillow. Prenatal massage is performed via gentle massage strokes over the back and entire body.

Prenatal massage also helps relieve sciatic nerve pain and multiple other conditions experience during pregnancy, prenatal massage is an effective therapy for helping to calm, and promote overall wellbeing for the expecting mother to be.

Deep tissue techniques are generally designed for more focused massage work. Working a specific joint, muscle or muscle group, the therapist can access deeper layers of the soft tissue. Starting superficially and easing into the depth of the muscle slowly often allows more movement. Deep tissue massage consist of slower strokes and more pressure. This is the recommended approach in this modality since each person experiences pressure differently. If the pressure is applied too deeply or too quickly, the muscle may tighten to protect that area, and unnecessary damage or inflammation can be induced. The therapist targets deeper muscle groups after first warming the soft tissues. Very little lubricant is used as the pressure doesn't travel much over the skin.

The most commonly used 'tools' during deep tissue massage may include, 3 and 6 fingers, reinforced fingers, a flat elbow, opposing thumbs, the heel of the hand or foot, and the forearm.

Therapist also use deep tissue massage to help break up scar tissue that has build up over time. Most of the strokes, however, remain fundamentally the same as with more superficial Swedish massage, used for relaxation.

Sports massage is a form of bodywork geared toward participants in athletics. It is used to help prevent injuries, to prepare the body for athletic activity and maintain it in optimal condition and to help athletes recover from workouts and injuries.

Sports massage involves the restoration to normal functional activity of the various structures of the body, while maintaining good physical condition and health, through mobilizing and improving muscle tone, promoting relaxation, stimulating circulation, and producing relaxation, stimulating circulation, and producing therapeutic effects on all systems of the body.

Sports massage has three basic forms:

• Pre-Event Massage: given shortly before an athlete competes. It consists mainly of brisk effleurage to stimulate and warm the muscles and petrissage to help muscles move fluidly and to reduce muscle tension. Effleurage is generally a relaxing stroke, but when done briskly it is stimulating. As the massage progresses, the pressure increases as the massage therapist uses percussive strokes and cupping to stimulate the muscles to contract and flex. The part of the body being massaged varies from sport to sport, although leg and back muscles are common targets for this type of massage.
• Post-Event Massage: given usually 1-2 hours after the competition is over in order to give dilated blood vessels a chance to return to heir normal condition. Post-event massage is light and gentle in order not to damage already stressed muscles. The goal is to speed up removal of toxic waste products and reduce swelling while light petrissage will help clear away toxins and relieve tense, stiff muscles.
• Maintenance Massage: is performed at least once a week while the athlete is in training. It is frequently administered to the back and legs. Deep effleurage and petrissage are used to relax and tone knotted muscles.

Regular sports massage can help to avoid problems associated with overuse, so allowing for extra training sessions without the risk of injury or trauma. And is not necessarily an hour, but is specific to a particular muscle group or for the speedier rehabilitation of a muscle injury.

A person does not need to be a top flight athlete to gain from sports massage. Anyone who exercises or seeks to improve their general physical fitness may benefit from treatment - in particular those who do so less regularly.